The Sun is Setting

When I was about ten years old, I was out on an adventure with three of my best friends, Compton, Beth and Muffy. We had woven our way up hills, through creeks, into backyards, under trees, but it was late and we were all standing on the top of steep hill panicked as we looked up at the sky. We must have been at least a mile away from Compton’s house where we had to be by dinner time. Those were really the days. We could wander aimlessly for hours anywhere – no cell phones, watches or fenced in yards. Rules were pretty simple – be back before dark. But if you couldn’t follow that simple rule, you know…it just wasn’t good.

We had two bikes and there were four of us. We stared into the sky and concocted our plan. My designated spot was on the handle bars and my answer was, “no way.” The last time I rode with Compton, it was on a ride-on tractor and she rode us up a tree flipping the tractor (thanks Compton). For the next hour, all I can remember was, “Elena, the sun is setting!” Compton was shaking her arm up to the sky, Beth way lying on the ground knowing I wasn’t going to budge. They all stomped, waved and yelled, “The sun is setting, Elena,” but true to character, I didn’t budge.

We all walked home that day and we all got into major trouble. Lucky for me, they are still my best friends.

So at the last photography meeting when our group leader asked for those of us who didn’t have a blog to raise our hands and then asked, just out of curiosity, “why not?” I watched her mouth the words, but all I heard was, “Elena, the sun is setting!” Before I could uncross my arms and exclaim, “I’m not riding on the handle bars!” I realized there was no reason to resist anymore, that I just needed to climb on and take a spin.

So welcome to my blog. I’m now a blogger. I’ll be blogging about photography, nonsense, life, inspiration, stuff I think you need, who knows, but for now, I’ve got to go, the sun is setting.